Darling Nikki
by iccess-america
Summary: Nicole, 20, has a lot of attitude. Randy Orton is one of the hottest up in coming superstars. Both are on the path to greatness but what happens when their paths cross? Will they both prove too hot to handle and will they be able to handle each other?
1. Prologue

AN:/This fic came as a challenge from one of my friends at Randy Orton Fan fiction.  This is my FIRST Randy Orton fic and I did need a SMALL break from trying to write Riley and Jeff so I hope you enjoy my new fic Darling Nikki. I'm kind of listening to the Prince/ Foo Fighters song Darling Nikki when I came up with the title but it won't be that racy and if I ever use the song I'll hike the rating *nervous laughter* no I don't do smut yet.  It's NOTHING like the song thank you.

Summary: Nicole is a 20 year old training to be one of the hottest WWE divas.  Randy Orton is one of the hottest up in coming superstars.  Both are on the path to greatness but what happens when their paths cross? Will they both prove too hot to handle and will they be able to handle each other?

**Prologue **

            Eighteen year old Nicole was a cute girl.  She was average in stature, about 5'6" 125 lbs. She had fairly tan which was a feet considering the fact that she lived in Minnesota where it was cold 9 months or more out of the year.  

            Nicole went to boarding school and wasn't exactly the party girl that a good number of her classmates were.  The long pale blue skirt and hid her long legs and the button up polo shirt gave off only a hint of what was underneath.  Her chestnut hair was constantly pulled back into a ponytail. True the 'in crowd' of girls shortened their skirts and made their polo tighter all to attract the attention of guys.  Boy had she learned her lesson.  She was once one of them, a year ago, before the whole mess with Kevin.  She didn't want to relive that experience again.  

            Her thoughts were interrupted by the bell ringing signaling the end of high school as she knew it.  The room erupted into cheers as they had sat through there last   'Thank God' she thought to as she picked up her backpack from the floor and headed into the halls.  The hallways were filled with a see of freshman, sophomore, and junior students trying to exit the building eager to put school behind them for the summer.  

            She could see some of her senior classmates still lingering through the halls finally realizing it would be their last trek through the halls and across campus to their dorms.  They would all be staying in the dorms one more night because the next day would be their final good-bye.  A final good-bye, it didn't seem real.  Sure the last year and a half had been hell here but she really did love it.  Well, once you got passed all the shallow self-loving people who once claimed to be her friends.  She still had one or two left but otherwise she was a loner.

            By now she had reached her dorm room and could hear Audrey's music playing on the other side of the door. She smiled, four years and the same old Audrey.  Some things would never change and she prayed that Audrey was one of them.  

            Audrey was her bubbly blonde roommate of four years.  Audrey was every guy's fantasy at school.  The long legs, long hair, you name it she had it.  She was a social light and one of the very few people who knew about Nicole's true personality and about what had happened.  She was someone Nicole trusted and nothing could ever change that.

 Audrey always played her stereo loud enough so the whole dorm got a free concert.  Nicole could have sworn at one time Audrey was taking requests.  Nicole opened the door to her room and saw Audrey dancing in front of the mirror, like always.  Nicole smiled and turned the stereo off as she had done in the past causing Audrey to whirl around and smile at her roommate.  

"Hey Nicole, How was your last....class?" The smile quickly faded from both Audrey and Nicole's faces. 

Nicole sat on her bed and sighed.  "Do you realize this is the last time that we'll see each other, like this, like everything's normal?  Then we'll be off at college going our separate ways.  I don't think I'm ready.  Then again it beats another year in absolute hell doesn't it?"

Audrey laughed, "Yeah I guess so.  But once you leave this place you'll be destined to find another absolute hell and forget all about this one.  Cheer up.  Tomorrow's graduation and tonight is the big senior party!"  Nicole gave an exasperated sigh.

"Nicole you are going?"  Nicole just shook her head.  "Is there a point in me going?  Since last year I've been either invisible or avoided like the plague."  

Audrey was visibly irritated.  "Nic, you've let whatever happened effect you too much. Honestly I thought it was a phase but a whole year is kind of over doing it don't you think?  Could you just spend the last night of your high school years being the normal Nicole?  The Nicole everyone used to know?  I still see her.  There's no point in fighting it so much.  I don't understand why..."

            Tears began to form in Nicole's eyes and she stood up from her sitting position on the bed.  "You're right Audrey you don't understand and I don't think you ever will.  But I am after all the best actress in school.  I can pull it off for one night right?"  Nicole grabbed her jacket and exited the room and into the dorm hallway.

****Later that night****

            Nicole walked to the recreation hall around 11 that night dressed in a white tank top, a jean mini skirt and black knee high boots.  _Hopefully the rooms will be too full for anyone to notice me_ Nicole hoped as she walked up the wooden stair case and into the enormous building.  She passed by four guys smoking in the entrance and received a few blank stares and she reached further into the corridor she could smell alcohol.  "Figures, someone will always bring booze" she thought out loud.  She could hear the music playing louder and louder as she reached the "party room".  She opened the door to the room and nearly froze when she saw basically everyone in the senior class as well as some juniors crowded inside of it.  _Or maybe too many people will recognize me.  It's always my luck that I'm not invisible when I really want to be._

            Nicole entered the room trying to be as inconspicuous as possible and moved toward the space close to the punch bowl.  She swore she'd be safe there until she could spot Audrey.

            Kevin had been dancing in the middle of the dance floor with his girl friend Heather until he was interrupted by his friend Mike who was the DJ.  Mike pulled Kev away from Heather much to her dismay and off the dance floor/  Mike whispered into his ear, "Yo Kev, Nicole Cena is here standing against the wall."  Kev looked shocked and then began to laugh.  "Stop shitting me Mike.  There's no way in hell she'd ever show up here.  Why do a complete one-eighty and show up?"

"I shit you not Kev man. She's against the wall by the punch."  Kevin craned his neck and searched through the crowd and was shocked to find Nicole standing against the wall as his friend had said.  He was tempted to let his jaw drop but instead his lips curled into a sly smile.  "Keep Heather distracted while I reacquaint myself with Miss Nicole would you?"  Mike nodded and watched Kevin stalk toward his pray who didn't know what was about to befall her.

            Kevin continued to stalk toward his prey, making his way through the seeming hundreds of people that crowded the dance floor.  He stared at her through his deep brown willing her not to move.  He was not even twenty feet away from his target when they locked eyes.  He held her gaze for a moment until her doe-like orbs widened like a deer in headlights.  She quickly turned her gaze away in panic and searched for a way to escape.  She couldn't go through the crowd because he would be able to catch her and she wouldn't be able to go out the front.  A group of his friends were crowded around the entrance playing some stupid game probably drunk.  She took her chances and ducked into the crowd trying to find some means of escape.  She spotted a door but she was quite unsure of where it led.  _Anywhere's better than here she thought and push her way through the crowd looking over her should with no Kevin in sight._

            Kevin was careful to duck behind a couple of people in order to keep Nicole from spotting him.  _There's no way you can get away from me Nikki babe Kevin thought that same smile placed upon his face.  He watched Nicole look over her shoulder hesitantly and move toward a door at the other side of the room.  Kevin's smile grew wider if possible and he made his way through the crowd pushing and shoving people in the way of his prize._

            Nicole walked for what seemed like forever down a long narrow corridor until she reached a dead end.  

"Great," Nicole sighed and froze when she heard footsteps behind her.

"I couldn't agree more," a familiar voice said sending a chill up her spine.  "It's good to see you Nicole.  I see you've done a complete change haven't you?  I'm tempted to ask why.  I mean, it doesn't do much good now does it?  But it does remind me of old times.  What about you Nikki?"  Nicole turned around and faced the owner of the voice with a look of hatred in her eyes.  

"What did you call me?" she asked her tone low her hand visibly shaking.

"What's the matter **Nikki**?  Did I strike a nerve?" Kevin reached out and touched her shaking arm which caused her to jump back as if she had been burned.

"You have no right to call me that Kevin," Nicole said now on the verge of having tears in her eyes.

"On the contrary Nikki, you're mine and you always will be."

************************************************************************

            Nicole woke up for the third time that week screaming.  She emerged from her bed around three o' clock that morning as she had for many mornings before; bed in disarray, brow covered in sweat, and the vivid images of that night still in her head.  She climbed out of her bed and walked to her bathroom.  She looked at herself in the mirror her now blonde hair tossed in every direction and her eyes blood shot.  She reached into the medicine cabinet and reached for the Tylenol PM, one of the many sleep aids she had been using to put herself to sleep for the past week.  She dabbed her face with water a few times and gazed at her reflection once more in the mirror before returning to her bedroom.  She stared at the red numbers of her alarm clock for possibly what felt like eternity before falling asleep again with the taste of her tears on her pillow.

************************************

AN: / Nothing like inner torment to kick off a story huh?  WHY did I decide to open this way?  Well because it seems to fit here and I don't really want to randomly throw in conflict without setting the stage for it. This also helps me get the feel for my character a lot more and I thoroughly enjoyed writing my longest chapter ever written in my history in one sitting without a break (6 hours).  So if you'd be so kind to hit the review button and tell me what you think it will be MUCH appreciated!  I'll intro Randy NEXT chapter I promise!

Love, 

Iccess


	2. All he wanted was coffee

_I've been doing non-linear writing thanks to Dashboard Confessional and have a few ideas of where this is going but it's a little further down the road.  If you have "A Mark a __Mission__, a Brand, a Scar" there will be a few chapters that have songs attached.  This isn't one of them lol.  Mind you I don't live in _New York__ but I've been there quite a few times so don't mind if my geography is completely off.__

**Chapter 1: All he wanted was a cup of coffee........**

            Nicole's alarm clock rang and the station ID for 98 YCR blared from the speaker.  Nicole stirred from her sleep and felt for the snooze button.  She swiped at air at first until she hit the alarm clock sending it crashing to the floor.  Nicole groaned and rolled to her side allowing her face to be bathed in the sunlight flooding through her bedroom window.  

            She gazed out and the view of the busy New York City landscape full of sky scrapers.  Nicole had moved to the city a year and a half ago shortly after her 19th birthday.  She went to a small liberal arts college outside of the city and lived in the heart of downtown Manhattan in a loft apartment she shared with Audrey.  

            Nicole was a drama major and wanted to be close to all the major acting studios while Audrey was now an intern at Rolling Stone Magazine.  It was definitely one of the crowning moments in Audrey's life and she wanted to live inside the city close to all of the 'action' to her job.  Nicole was excited that she could possibly be taking one of the biggest steps of her career by moving to New York.  

            It was by chance that a friend of Audrey's brother was looking for someone to rent his loft in Manhattan.  Two people came to mind and they had no idea that they existed not very far from one another in the same city.  They were more than surprised to see each other.  _Well at least I wouldn't have to get used to someone ELSE'S bad habits.  I'm already used to Audrey's.  Yep it was just like being at school again.  Well, except for the fact that she hardly saw her roommate who either worked in the office till dawn or spent the weekends partying or at concerts with her new boyfriend Paul.  _

            Nicole was also very busy.  She worked at a coffee house part time when she didn't have classes and spent the weekends going to auditions.  "It's 8:45 a.m. on Saturday and traffic is bumper to bumper on the freeway" she heard the radio echo as she threw on her black leather ankle boots.  She mentally cursed herself because she was going to be late for work the third day in a row.  Nicole grabbed a copy of a script that lay on her dressing table and ran out of the apartment in a hurry.  

            The sounds of traffic greeted her as she walked down the crowded city sidewalk and to her job at the coffee bean.  She rounded the corner of 40th and entered Mel's Coffee Bean that wasn't busy but had the usual demanding clientele.  Nicole went straight to the employee office to grab her apron and order pad.  "It's the middle of June and people still order coffee," Nicole said to Sophie another waitress who was talking to a customer at the counter.  "Frozen coffee, beat the heat and get your coffee fix, one of the greatest inventions in the history of the world." 

 Sophie laughed, "Well I don't know anyone who would drink hot coffee in 100 degree weather.  Speaking of 100 degrees I think it just got a lot hotter in here."

            Nicole looked at Sophie strangely as to ask her what she meant but by the glazed look and the drool forming on the corner of her lip she could tell a piece of grade A beefcake model had walked through the door.  Nicole laughed and shook her head going to help one of the regular customers at the counter while Sophie went to help the other customer

            Two hours later, two mysterious men walked through the entrance of the coffee bean.  Both were wearing Yankee baseball caps and dark tinted sunglasses so you couldn't see their faces or hair color but from every other female's perspective their muscles were what you noticed.  One of the men was 6' 4" wearing blue jeans and a fitted black shirt while the other was slightly taller wearing a tight pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt.  He chewed at a piece of chewing gum in his mouth as the searched for a place to sit.  

            Nicole didn't notice them because she was too busy staring at the clock.  She was to get off in ten minutes to go to one of her auditions for a new play opening on Broadway.  Her attention was brought away from the ticking second hand by an obnoxious ringing of the front bell.  She felt someone tap her on the shoulder and turned around to see Mel, a male around age forty with graying brown hair looking at her.  "Nicole I suggest you go help whoever is ringing the bell, and fast."  Nicole looked at the clock and noticed she only had a minute left until her shift was over.  She placed a puppy dog look on her face and turned to Mel.  "But I have this audition today and it's really important.  I've timed it so I get there right after work.  Please let me leave Mel!"

Mel laughed in response, "have some dignity Nicole, you look pitiful when you pout.  Serve the last customer and then you can leave."  The bell began to ring louder and louder beckoning Nicole to the impatient customer.  "And I'd do it as soon as possible someone's getting a little impatient."

              Nicole frowned and went toward the front counter where one of the men in a Yankees cap was standing ringing the bell.  Nicole clenched her jaw in annoyance.  She covered the customer's persistent hand with her own much smaller ones in an effort to cease the ringing.  "May I HELP you?" she asked barely managing to force a smile.  "About time someone came.  Two cappuccinos QUICKLY" The customer had a masculine voice but his arrogant tone over rid anything Nicole found appealing about him.

Nicole rolled her eyes.  "Sure, right away."  She went to the frozen coffee machine which seemed to be pouring slower than usual.  _Come on, come on Nicole thought as she glanced quickly at the clock and then back at the muscular customer who still had an annoyed look on his face.  She topped off the second cappuccino and placed them in front of him.  "That'll be $6.50," Nicole said in a hurry to get out of the coffee bean  as she read part of her script over._

"I'm not paying for this!" the customer said in a disgusted tone turning the heads of the regular patrons who were peering over their coffee mugs and at the scene that was unfolding before them.  

Nicole put her script down on the counter and looked at the man face to face. "Why may I ask?" she asked mild irritation filling her voice as she glanced at the clock and back at the customer as he spoke.

"Well for one thing it's frozen."

_No kidding _genius she fought to hold her tongue and came up with an even better idea that brought a sincere grin to her face.  "Well it _is fairly hot outside and there are benefits to having frozen coffee.  Here, why don't you try for yourself," Nicole said picking up one of the cappuccinos and handing it to him.  As he began to sip, her smile got wider if at all possible and she undid the lid of the second lifting the open cup above him and dumping the frozen contents over his head.  When the contents had been disposed of she dropped the cup and smiled.  "You're right you don't have to pay for it because it's on the house, enjoy!"_

Nicole took off her uniform apron and walked passed the stunned male and once again into the streets leaving Mel apologizing to the customer profusely and the customer's companion laughing at his younger friend who looked very much pissed off.  "Looks like the legend killer just got cooled off.  I'd be glad it wasn't scalding hot, she really did you a favor Randy."

"Ha, funny Hunter I think I should thank her by throwing a frozen coffee on her," Randy said returning to his friend in the booth by the window.  "Come on, let's go before we get pelted with biscotti," Randy said getting up and walking toward the door.  Hunter followed suit but not before noticing the script that Nicole had been holding.  He noted an address written on the front cover and studied it.  Was it her address?  Maybe they could catch her before she got too far.  He went up to Mel and inquired about the address.  He confirmed that it was Nicole's address and Hunter politely thanked him.

"Hey Hunter are you coming?!" Randy called impatiently.

"Hey Randy I think we need to make a little stop before we go back to the hotel," he said matter-of-factly to his friend before they exited the coffee bean. 

"What? Why?" Randy asked a little confused.

"I just wanted to return something" _and to find out something about the mystery waitress_ he thought to himself.  He didn't know what it was but there was something about her seemingly familiar but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.  Regardless of what it was he wanted to find out. 

"Where are we going?" Randy asked as they exited the coffee bean.

"You'll see," was all Hunter would say as he pulled his Yankee cap over his face as to be careful not to be recognized.

**************************************************8

AN:/ Yep that's the end of the official chapter 1!  That took a while to write considering I've been busy with exams and stuff like that.  So you'll have to wait until late January until I get to put another chapter.  I have to pass my exams!  I kinda gave you a clue as to who the men were in the beginning sorry if that wasn't clear but I tried!

Reviews are appreciated praise or flames

Love as always,

Iccess


	3. Big Brother & Big Changes

AN:Omgosh. I'm so SORRY for the long absence. With the combination of school, writers block, lack of will, and two broken computers I haven't had much time/tools to write. But I'm back. I can't tell for how long exactly because school is starting soon but I will be updating periodically for as long as I can allow. Enjoy chapter 3 of "Darling Nikki"

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that may seem familiar to you i.e. John Cena, Randy Orton, Triple H, JFK Airport, MSG (or I'd be so rich!), Rolling Stone Magazine and things of THAT nature. I do own Nicole, Audrey, Mel, Scott, and other minor characters.

Chapter 3: Big Brother & Big Changes

Nicole rushed down the crowded sidewalk nearly knocking over anyone – including a hot dog vender and several meter maids, which stood in her path. She glanced again and again at her watch as the disgruntled Wall Street executives shouted obscenities as she passed. "Sorry, excuse me", she quickly apologized as she jogged faster towards the subway.

"_Great, I'm going to be late for my audition!" _Nicole thought to herself as she ran down the stairs and into the subway entrance. She rushed past several men just in time to see the last subway train to the heart of the city leave the station. "Looks like I'll have to walk to the audition", Nicole said as she headed back up the stairs and into the chaos of midday traffic. Hailing a cab wasn't the best option considering traffic was backed up for miles. She could walk, however she doubted that walking in heels she'd get there any faster. Nicole took a seat on a nearby bench trying to decide what to do. "I want this audition. Hell, I NEED this audition. What have I done? What have I said to deserve this?"

She sighed in frustration and checked her watch again. It was already a few minutes till her audition time and she didn't have much time to spare. Nicole walked to the curb and signaled for a cab. A cab finally stopped and she got in. "One moment, I have the address written in my script". Nicole opened her tote bag and searched through her purse for her script. "That's strange, I could have sworn I put my script into my bag before I left the coffee shop". Nicole paused. _"I was skimming my lines before that idiot customer walked in!" _She cursed under her breath and stormed out of the cab and back toward Mel's Coffee Shop. _"There is just no way this day can get ANY worse can it?"_

Audrey sat in her cubicle proofreading a review she had written for next month's issue. "'Making Waves by Audrey Weston'. That has a nice ring to it if I may say so myself." Sure she was only interning but one of the writers had been so impressed that they had given her a minor assignment to prove herself to the editor. Audrey took to writing her byline just as her cell phone rang. She pressed save on her keyboard and looked at her clock to discover it was a little after one. "Paul can't be that eager to talk to me. I just hung up with him an hour ago." After the phone rang twice more Audrey smiled and answered. "Paul honey I told you I'd call you I was finished but you do have perfect timing..." Audrey was interrupted by another man's voice that was definitely not her boyfriend's. "Long time no talk Audrey Michelle". Audrey paused and tried to recognize the male voice on the other end. Then it clicked. "John Cena? How'd you get my number?" Audrey reprimanded. She heard him chuckle. "No hi, how ya doin' or nuttin Aud? Glad to know someone truly cares. You really need to learn some manners," John said in a joking tone. "And who's this Paul guy that you tend to mistake your best friend's brother for huh?"

Audrey rolled her eyes and shook her head as she smirked in amusement. "Speaking of Nicole, how was the ride from the airport?" There was a pause. "Well Audrey that's why I called. I thought you told Nic that I'd be coming into town? Cause she wasn't at the airport and I sure ain't at your place." Scott the press manager knocked on Audrey's door diverting her attention. Scott looked at Audrey and the phone in her hand with a reprimanding look. "Audrey, I thought I told you no personal phone calls during office hours? Hurry up, I need you to take these pictures to the office uptown." Scott slammed a stack of photographs onto Audrey's desk and stormed down the hall. "Audrey!?" Audrey returned the phone to her ear and swept a loose hair behind her ear. "I DID tell Nicole and I wrote down flight info and stuff for her and put it on top of her script so she could remember to pick you up before her audition." "Well Aud, she's not here." Audrey's stress level was about to peak. She glanced out of the window across the hall and at the pictures on her desk. "Listen John, I have to run some pictures to the printer which is on the way to JFK. I can pick you up in about a half hour if traffic is good." "Yo Audrey, I need you to get here FASTER. I can't hang around the airport for long without fans mobbing me." Audrey grabbed the stack of photographs and her car keys and headed toward the elevator. "John I'm sure there are tons of twenty something white guys wearing baseball caps and jerseys hanging in the airport. You'll fit right in. Don't cause I riot until I get there 'kay? Bye." Audrey closed her phone and pushed the button for the elevator. _Yes Nicole you definitely owe me. Where the heck is that stupid elevator!_ Audrey thought to herself as she impatiently waited to get out of the office.

Nicole went into Mel's Coffee Bean out of breath and in pain from running in high heels. "Hey Nic, didn't expect to see you back so soon. How'd the audition go?" Mel asked as he poured a customer's refill that was sitting at the counter. Nicole sat on one of the stools and held her head in the palm of her hand. "Mel, I didn't _go _to the audition. I got out of here late after serving that jackass of a customer. I missed the one fifteen train, traffic is a nightmare, and to top it all off I left my script here by accident. Have you seen it?" Mel shook his head. "Nope, I haven't seen it since you had it in your hands daydreaming." Nikki sighed and dropped her head onto the counter. Sophie laughed, "Well Nic, look on the bright side, you are just in time to take over for me while I take my break." Nicole looked hopelessly at Sophie and was about to speak when her phone ringing interrupted her. "Hold that thought Sophie." Nicole fished through her bag for her cell phone and recognized Audrey's number. "Audrey this isn't a very good time..." A very angry sounding Audrey interrupted Nicole mid-sentence. "Oh Nicole I think it is a _VERY _good time to interrupt seeing as I'm heading to pick up your brother the one and only John Cena from John F. Kennedy Airport where he could be getting mobbed by fans any minute. Yes, Nicole I think it is a VERY GOOD TIME! Did I mention traffic is murder?" Nicole's jaw dropped and her eyes widened. "Did you say that my brother was at JFK? What the heck is he doing there?!" Nicole could hear Audrey's sharp intake of breath and some mumbled cursing on the other end before an audible and tense reply was heard. "Oh, I don't know Nicole, maybe waiting for _you_ to show up and take him to our place? Does THAT seem like a possibility Nic?" Nicole waved good-bye to Sophie and left Mel's heading toward her apartment. "When was I told that he was going to be in town? I don't remember getting a call from him," Nicole said as she walked the crowded sidewalk. "Of course you don't. You were out like a light before eight last night and John called around nine. He told me that they have a show taping tonight at MSG and then he's in town for a few days until Monday. I left a note for you to pick him up and I left it on your script so you'd see it in the morning when you left." Nicole sighed as she approached their building and walked up the stairs. "Note??? What note?" Nicole remembered her quest for the snooze button this morning and figured she must have knocked the note on the floor this morning along with her alarm clock. "Oh. Well never mind Audrey. I owe you and I'll be waiting here when you two get here." "Fine," Audrey said before they both hung up. "_Yep this day can definitely get worse," _Nicole thought to herself as she entered the apartment and into her bedroom. On the floor several feet away from her alarm clock, she found a hand written note from Audrey with John's flight info and "Pick up JFK around 11 o'clock" in bold red letters. The question was how could she miss it? _And I have a feeling that it's going to be hell before the day is over._

An hour and a half after she left the office, Audrey pulled into the airport parking garage. It was two thirty in the afternoon and hopefully John didn't decide to take a taxi to his hotel or she would definitely be pissed. Audrey walked through the terminal looking for her assumed charge but found no sign of him. She searched at the arrival gate and at baggage claim but there was still no sign of Mr. Cena. Audrey thought of putting a page in for him over the loudspeaker but the voice in her head immediately noted it as a bad idea. Then Audrey's cell phone rang again. Audrey noted that it was an unfamiliar number and answered.

"Hello?" she asked as she continued to scan the crowd for any signs of John. "I thought you'd be here in a half an hour?" Audrey smiled on the inside and part of her stress had been relieved. He said "here" so that must have meant that he was still in the airport. But there was still the question as to _where_ he was in the airport. "Where are you?" she asked still scanning the crowd for any indication. "I'm at the observation deck watching the planes take off. Very nice view by the way," he said. "Figures, I'll be right there." Audrey ran up the three flights of stairs to the observation deck where she found John waiting for her. He had a stunned look on his face but soon replaced it with a smile "It's about time Audrey. I could have just called a limo service to pick me up and take me to the hotel, but it's good to see a familiar face when I come into town." Audrey dropped his suitcase and gave him an angry yet disparaging look. "I could strangle you RIGHT now John Cena but I will not do so because that would just defeat the purpose of sitting in traffic for an hour, searching for you for God knows how long, and subsequently having to probably sit in traffic with you for another hour or so. I'll be getting crap from Scott when I get back to the office for taking your call and for something I probably didn't do if he's in his usual mood and now I'm just not in a pleasant mood. Now let's go Cena!" John smirked at Audrey's state of fury and gave her a military style salute in response. Audrey rolled her eyes and started through the crowd at a lightning pace with John following suit. "Audrey slow down girlie, I'm not in a rush," John said almost panting trying to keep up with the blonde. "Well I am, now get a move on. I want to get back as quick as I can. We're parked on level C"

Audrey and John reached the parking garage in what seemed like record time, and Audrey had no problem throwing John's heavy bags into the trunk of her Jeep. Audrey and John strapped in and Audrey turned the key in the ignition. However, nothing happened. She tried again but her engine just sputtered and died. Audrey rested her arms on the steering wheel and banged her head repeatedly while whimpering until John pulled her back to a sitting position. "Audrey calm down. I'll go check to see what's wrong under the hood. Don't freak out, aight?" John got out of the jeep and Audrey popped the hood.

After a few minutes of tinkering around and inspecting John shut the hood and returned to the car. "So what's the diagnosis?" Audrey asked as she drummed her fingers against the steering wheel. "Either your battery is dead or something else is wrong. Either way I can't fix it". _Why ME?_ Audrey thought to herself as she tried to think of another way to get back to her apartment, not to mention her office before Scott would require her to work overtime. "This day has been the worst ever, nothing but bad things for me today," Audrey complained as she fished out her cell phone. John gave her a pitiful look, "and what about seeing my handsome face?" Audrey smirked, "like I said, one bad thing after the other. I think I'll call the repair shop so they can tow the car and get it fixed." John got out of the car and grabbed his phone as well. "You do whatever you want princess, I have a few calls of my own to make."

Paul and Randy continued to walk around New York City and had long ago lost track of the mysterious waitress due to the large crowds and Randy's wanting a hot dog that Paul still hadn't allowed. Randy was still at a loss as to where they were going but he still wanted a hot dog if he was going to be dragged up and down the sidewalk like a rag doll. On the bright side, they hadn't been recognized. Paul's cell phone rang. "Hello?" he answered as he and Randy continued to weave in and out of the crowd. "Hey Levesque, I need a favor." It was John Cena on the other end. "Sure, but we're kind of preoccupying ourselves at the moment with a little scavenger hunt of sorts. Make it quick." "Well listen, my sister's roommate and I are stuck at JFK and we need you to take us to their apartment." Paul laughed, "What are we a limo service? Can't you just grab a limo service?" John paused for a moment, "I don't have any of my credit cards with me and anyway Paul, you and Randy do owe me from other night when I covered for you with your wife, but if you don't want to help me I guess I'll just tell Stephanie..." Hunter growled under his breath before finally submitting. "Fine Cena, Randy and I will come to the airport to get you. Stay put wherever you are. I don't want to have to waste time tracking you down. Besides I've always wanted to meet little Nicole." Paul hung up and turned to find Randy at the corner grabbing a hot dog. Paul bounded toward him and pulled him along by his shirt. They headed for their hotel that was only a few blocks away. "Hey what's the big idea?" Randy tried to put ketchup on his hot dog while still trying to keep a steady pace with the slightly larger man ahead of him. "We have to do Cena a favor and pick him up at the airport. Grab the keys to your rental and I'll wait for you at the garage entrance." Randy was dazed by the commands he was given. "The airport? But that's an hour away! I haven't even finished my hot dog and..." "Too bad. I'll drive then." Hunter took the keys from Randy and they both walked to the parking garage.

An hour later Randy and Hunter found Audrey and John sitting on the hood of Audrey's jeep. "Finally! What took you two so long?" John said grabbing his suitcase and throwing it into the trunk of the Hummer. "Killer traffic, and Randy just had to get another hot dog," Paul said looking at the younger star that had an obscenely large ketchup stain now on his shirt. John shook his head and helped Audrey into the back of the truck.

Audrey settled herself on the passenger's side behind Randy while John sat behind Paul. "So, what happened to you two?" Paul asked the irritated blonde as they left the airport. Audrey was busy staring out of the smoke tinted windows and hadn't noticed who the driver was or to the fact that he was trying to make conversation with her. John nudged her in the side to bring her into the conversation but she just turned closer to the window and continued looking out of the window. Paul raised his eyebrow at the young blonde in the mirror and turned his attention back to the road ahead while Randy could be heard snickering in the front seat.

Nicole sat in the living room on the white couch looking though her old photo albums while waiting for her brother and Audrey to arrive. It had been so long since she had seen him at all. The last time she had seen her brother was two years ago at her seventeenth birthday party. Before he broke out big in the WWE and before the incident happened. They were incredibly close then; they'd talk for hours when she'd call home from school occasionally making him late for practice. But the following year everything changed when he signed his contract. He was away from home a lot and she wouldn't see him on family visiting days. After the incident with Kevin, Nicole's outlook on life had changed. She became more distant than usual and she was so far away from home, her family, and her brother that she felt she had no one to talk to. Well there was always Audrey but she didn't one her to be worried and watching like a hawk every second of the day. But Audrey began to worry anyway. So much for being detached. There were rumors going around school the day after and they didn't quite die until graduation. Meanwhile she kept herself busy by staring in play after play and writing in her spare time. Her parents came to see every major production while John was out on the road. Truthfully, she missed her older brother. She secretly watched wrestling on Monday and Thursday and sometimes on Sunday to catch the highlights she might have missed. She still had his first U.S. Title reign on tape. She tried to buy tickets for whenever they came to New York, but she either had a late night at work or tickets were sold out. But from what she did see on television, he hadn't changed very much; his public persona was still as cocky as ever, but he was truly sweet at heart. They still talked on occasion but it just wasn't the same bond that they had had when they were younger. Nicole could feel her eyes stinging from the tears that were threatening to fall. _"I can't get emotional now, not now. I can't let him see me cry."_ Nicole dropped the photo album hurriedly and went straight to the bathroom medicine cabinet. She rummaged around to the back of the cabinet for a bottle of white pills, grabbed two and restored the bottle to its original hiding place. She turned off the light and headed to the kitchen area and grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge. After she swallowed the meds, Nicole returned to the living room where the pictures she had dropped were scattered throughout the floor. Nicole dropped to her knees to collect the pieces of memories from her childhood and stacked them neatly on a pile on the coffee table. The sun was going down and Nicole wondered what could be taking Audrey and John so long to get there.

During the ride Audrey fell asleep against the window and John stared at her in silence. He had barely managed to hide his shock at the airport when he met her on the observation deck. He knew that she was older and that she had changed but he hadn't thought she had changed that much. Her voice on the phone still sounded the same except it didn't have that bubbly carefree tone to it that it did when she and Nicole would come home for vacation. He had only seen Audrey and Nicole once in the last two years. Heck, if Audrey had changed this much, the sight of little Nicole was surely to give him a start as well. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and yawned. Once upon a time, Nicole and John had been close, but training and wrestling had gotten in the way of his relationship with his younger sister, which he regretted. When he was at home to visit she was always at school, and when he called to talk to her recently she was either at work or going to an audition. It was good that she was keeping herself busy with school, work, and her craft. Maybe his workaholic influence rubbed off in his absence? Probably, but he had yet to determine whether or not that was a good thing. It seemed that as time went by they left more messages than they had conversations; their whole relationship had changed.

After circling the block several times, Paul finally found a parking space that was big enough for the hummer. John grabbed Audrey and carried her into the building while Paul and Randy followed to their displeasure, with John's bags.

Audrey shifted in John's arms while he walked up the staircase to the loft. He rang the bell twice before he heard the locks being undone. The door opened to reveal a smiling Nicole, now clad in black sweatpants and 76ers jersey, with her hair in a laid back pony tail. John was in true shock. He didn't see the same little Nicole. He couldn't put his finger on it but something had definitely changed about her and it wasn't just her hair color. Her smile wasn't the same smile he knew, but then again he hadn't seen her for almost two years. So much could have happened and he highly doubted that this visit would be enough to catch up on all of the stuff that he had missed.

"Oh my gosh Audrey! What happened?" John heard his sister gasp at the condition of the young girl in his arms. "Oh nothing. She just fell asleep. She came to get me at the airport and well her car wouldn't start. I called a couple friends to pick us up and they should be on their way upstairs with my bags. I was wondering if they could stay and chat with us a while?" Nicole nodded, "sure whatever you want." John placed Audrey on the white couch and turned around to give his younger sister a hug. "I missed you Nikki, you've grown up so much!" Nicole laughed, "why so have you!" she joked as she punched her brother in the arm.

Audrey's cell phone rang from inside her purse. Not wanting to disturb her friend from her slumber, Nicole took the phone and signaled that she would answer it in the other room. She went into her room and shut the door behind her. Seconds later I tired looking Paul and Randy entered the apartment dragging John's luggage. "Gees Cena, you pack like a girl! What do you carry in here?" John laughed, "a few jerseys, caps, sneakers, weights, the necessities." Randy gave him a "whatever" look just as Nicole stormed out of her bedroom still on Audrey's cell phone surprisingly whispering at whoever was on the phone. "Listen Scott, Audrey has been working her butt of and no she will not work overtime. She's had a stressful enough day already. Goodnight!" Nicole hung up the phone and turned to the three men who stood in the living room. "Have you three ever heard of being **_quiet_**? Audrey is trying to sleep." John smiled and shook his head. "Paul, Randy, this is my little sister Nicole Cena".

Randy was shocked at the girl who came out of the bedroom. He could have sworn she looked familiar but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Paul smirked and nudged Randy in the arm and whispered, "look familiar?" A second later it had clicked, _"the girl in the coffee shop??"_ he thought in total shock. "Nicole, these are two of my close friends, Randy Orton and Paul Levesque". Nicole was having the suspicious feeling that she had seen both of them before. Sure she had seen them on television but there was something personally familiar about Randy. And then it hit her; _"he's the guy at Mel's that I poured coffee on today!"_ "YOU!" they both said in unison. Paul couldn't keep himself from erupting into hysterics and John looked incredibly confused by the outburst. "Can someone fill me in on what's going on here?" Paul by this time was red and found that he couldn't stop laughing. "It's...a...long...story". John looked from his younger sister to his best friend and smiled. "I think we have all night".

AN:Okay so I think after an extended absence you have received as much as you are going to get out of me today. It might have taken quite a long time but you've got 13 pages worth of story to keep you occupied. I've spent a long two days on this chapter and I'm expecting a lot of reviews so hop on over to the sexy review button and review please if you want more. Criticism is always greatly appreciated but nothing about length lol.

3 Iccess


	4. Tea

AN: / Yes, I know I've been MIA from this story for quite a while now and I had most of this written before I was forced to take a break (my schedule is MURDER). It's not much but it's something to keep the story going. It's kind of a filler chapter but don't hold that against me. I hope you enjoy.   
Chapter 4: Tea 

By this day's end Nicole no longer knew if she could handle her life anymore, as twisted and strange as it had become. She was having reoccurring nightmares and she had lost any chance of landing her dream role on Broadway. She had many reservations about aiming that high, and now her doubts were confirmed. Maybe this whole day was the big slap in the face that she needed. There was a sign pointing to something she couldn't quite see.

She was late getting to work this morning – correction, she was _always_ late for work, no tragedy there, although if she was on time or early for her shift even Mel would have let her go early. If she would have left early enough she wouldn't ran into Mr. Orton and The Game, and she would have been on time for her audition. But clearly, the whole frozen coffee mishap had been the highlight of the otherwise chaotic day.

But the crown jewel of Nicole's faux pas' for the day undoubtedly had been flaking on picking John up from the airport. Not only had that caused mass confusion on the part of herself and her brother but also major stress for Audrey as well. So, she was now stuck in her apartment with her brother who looked at her like she had two heads, two guys that she'd rather not be around, and her best friend who was now unconscious.

"It can only get better from here," Nicole thought to herself as she searched for something to serve to her unsuspected guests.   
John had settled into the guest room that had prepared the night before and Audrey had been taken into her bedroom for a much-needed rest. Not wanting to be rude for a second or third time that day, Nicole invited Randy and Paul to stay for refreshments. It was clear that Randy was very eager to decline to Nicole's delight, but Paul had beaten him to the punch and accepted the invitation. 

So now, playing the role of gracious hostess, Nicole was in her kitchen rummaging through her nearly bare cabinets and refrigerator for food. She wondered how she and Audrey could live in their apartment and not realize that they barely had any food in their apartment. Nicole shut the refrigerator door.

Taped on the door was a note from Audrey saying _"Nicole's turn to go grocery shopping"_. Nicole sighed, snatched the note from its place on the fridge and tossed it on the floor heading for the last cabinet in the kitchen.

"_What do we have here?" _Nicole thought as she viewed the selection that was presented before her.

There were bags of herbal tea, a box of tea biscuits, mini bagels, nachos and coffee beans; lots and lots of coffee beans. Nicole rarely drank coffee anymore since she had taken up working at Mel's and given the events of the day she doubted that anyone would want to trust her around hot pots of coffee. Paul had had a good time in recounting the tale for her brother and Randy gave Nicole dirty looks which made her want to get out of the living room even faster. She didn't understand why his ego was bruised so severely and she was going to let it go for now, just as long as he didn't try anything to take his revenge.

Nicole took the tea and nachos from the pantry and prepared them on a long serving tray. She could hear the three men still laughing in the living room and it seemed that they weren't getting too restless.

After a few minutes, Nicole reentered the living room to find Paul looking at the pictures on the mantle of Nicole and Audrey's families and Randy sitting on the couch staring seemingly into space. She was quiet as she entered and the clatter of the tray being sat down on the coffee table snapped both men out of their preoccupation.

"That wouldn't happen to be _coffee _would it?" Paul asked in a laughing tone as he took a porcelain cup off of the tray.

Randy smirked and spoke under his breath, "I think _someone's_ already high strung enough already."

Nicole shook her head and brushed off the remark.

"It's herbal tea. The last thing I would ever want to do is drink coffee after being around it for a good amount of the day."

"And for this we should be thankful?" Randy made the statement again under his breath but clearly audible to Nicole.

Nicole took a sip of her tea trying to tune Randy out. Soon an awkward silence overtook the room. Nicole wondered exactly why John hadn't come back yet from settling in. She made a few quick glances down the hallway to see if she could see into the guest room at the end of the hallway. The door was cracked open slightly so she had no such luck. She glanced at the clock. She had only been inside of the room for two minutes and hadn't found one topic of conversation to tear the blanket of uneasiness and animosity that had covered the room. She glanced down the hall in desperation one last time, and finally realizing her brother wouldn't be making an appearance anytime soon she decided to start conversation. She would probably sound stupid but she was desperate and she would die if someone didn't start talking soon. As she moved to open her mouth and begin conversation Paul interrupted her attempt and possibly saved her from making a fool out of herself.

"So, Nicole, John tells me you're an actress?" Paul said taking another drink.

Nicole was surprised.

"_He actually talks about me?"_

When it came for her to respond her voice was caught partially in her throat.

"Um, yeah, yes I'm an actress. I do theatre mostly. I was supposed to have an audition today but that ultimately fell through. I've been having second thoughts about pursuing my career full time and I might take some time off to go back home and get things straightened out. Acting hasn't ALWAYS been my passion. I just got into it for the sense of stress release in high school…"

Nicole's voice began to trail off into the distance as Randy tried some way to not to pay attention. He gazed at the painting over the sofa, out the balcony window, but somehow he always found his stare returning to Nicole. The gazes weren't long enough for her to notice but long enough for him to study her. He took in the way she used her hands when she spoke, the way she made eye contact or broke it when she was in deep thought. He could tell by the way she had her hair in the ponytail that she had hints of brown hair laced in with the blonde. When she changed her position on the couch the light would shine so that her skin would glow. She had a certain animation radiating out of her even though she was visibly exhausted. However his observations weren't enough to make him forget their encounter at the coffee shop.

He was able to tear himself away from his thoughts and cue back into the conversation. Paul and Nicole looked as if they were having a good time talking away as if he wasn't there. Paul said something that made Nicole smile the first true smile he had seen out of her in the short time they had been waiting but of course he hadn't heard what it had been.

"John tells me you're very talented," Paul said smiling at her.

So they were talking about acting.

"_Should I or shouldn't I? It's so hard to be nice…"_

But the opportunity was too good to resist and the words came out of his mouth before Randy could stop them.

"So she's an actress? No wonder she's so good at playing a bitch," Randy said once again under his breath and changing his sitting position on the couch.

Both Nicole and Paul could hear him. Paul shot him a disapproving glance. Nicole attempted to control her temper and not lash out by counting backwards from ten in her head. When that didn't work, she took a deep breath and tried to find an excuse to leave the room again. Then, as if on cue, Paul's cell rang.

The decoration of the loft seemed a lot more toned down than either Nicole or Audrey's personalities. It was a little too – well he didn't quite know the word for it. The words that he found running through his mind were conservative, neat, unadventurous, and he dared to say boring came to mind. It was so uniform throughout the whole place. White walls, oak flooring, leather furniture; it wasn't anything he had expected from the girls having seen the dorm room they had shared on one occasion. There was clutter everywhere from what he could remember and now it was surprisingly neat. He shook his head and heard the muffled sound of a door shutting. John opened his bedroom door a little and saw his sister carrying a tray into the kitchen. He quietly opened his door more and tiptoed down the hallway. Apparently his friends had left.

"I wonder why," John said out loud.

There was rustling in the kitchen and panicking John turned to scurry back to the guestroom a little too late. The door to the kitchen swung open and Nicole exited the kitchen with yet another tray in her hand.

"What exactly have you been doing?" Nicole asked trying to manage what she was carrying.

"So, Paul and Randy left?" John asked turning around. He gestured to take the tray from his sister and she accepted, loading the heavy tray into John's more capable arms.

"Yes they left. There was something about tomorrow's show that they had to take care of," Nicole said yawning and leaning against the wall.

This had definitely been one hell of a day. In her opinion, today was way too eventful with way too many surprises to guess along the way. Nicole rubbed the side of her head with two of her fingers and closed her eyes. She was going to have some trouble sleeping tonight.

"Nicole?" John said nodding to the tray in his hands.

"Um, that's for Audrey when she wakes up. Just put it in her bedroom," she pointed to the door that was partially open down the hall.

John nodded and walked to Audrey's room placing the tray on the bedside table almost knocking her lamp off. He reacted and caught the lamp before it could fall, however his efforts were anything but noiseless as he let out a sigh. He saw Audrey lying in a curled up position on the foot of her bed still sound asleep and laughed. She looked as if an earthquake couldn't wake her. He replaced the lamp to a safe spot on the table and tip-toed out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

The hall was now empty and Nicole's bedroom door was shut. Maybe she wasn't feeling well. The lights in the kitchen were off but a single lamp remained lit in the living room. John walked into the living room area where a photo album laid on the corner of the coffee table. As he opened it, he caught the stack of pictures that spilled out of the front. They were of him and Nicole some years ago. He laughed glancing at picture after picture, missing his younger years a little and how much fun it had been to hang out with his younger sister. As he got further into the photo album he found play bills and reviews of shows that Nicole had been in. Most of them, except for the rare wannabe critic, raved about Nicole's performances. He was sorry that he had missed it.

Nicole lay in bed wide awake. She glanced at the clock that read 12:30 in the morning and groaned. She had turned out her light an hour ago and thanks to the throbbing headache that she was having, she hadn't been able to fall asleep even with a cap full of NyQuil to assist her. Looking through the photo album today had made her wish for the old Nicole back, the naïve Nicole that felt safe and could sleep at night. John was a reminder of who she was only a few years ago before it happened. She was so carefree, not so guarded, and totally at peace with herself. That had all been shattered. A flash of lightning struck the top of the New York City landscape and the rain began to fall. The soft pitter-pat against the window pane was calming and must have been what she needed. She closed her eyes and said a prayer that sleep would be uninterrupted, if only for tonight.

AN:/ Another chapter will be coming soon. You know the drill, hit the review button on your left and leave some love (or tell me how much you hate the story). Either way, review!


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